National exposure for golf in the Borders

Published 25 Jul 2010 15:34 0 Comments

THE Scottish Borders has joined with four other regions in Scotland to sell local golfing experiences to a broader market via a national partnership brokered between VisitScotland and drinks giants Belhaven and Highland Brewing.

As part of the Perfect Day campaign that specifically targets the UK & Ireland market and is part-funded by Scottish Borders Council, the region is working alongside Dumfries & Galloway, Ayrshire & Arran, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire in the joint marketing activity.

The golf marketing activity promotes regions that offer a strong golfing product to a national audience, capitalising on investment from all areas which ultimately means each region's marketing budget goes further, bringing additional increased exposure.

The Scottish Borders Freedom of the Fairways Golf Passport - offers various options for 3-day or 5-day adult and senior tickets and continues to be Scotland's best selling golf pass. The pass- is being promoted via the website www.visitscotland.com/perfectgolfregions and on posters, tent cards and beer mats in 400 Belhaven outlets across Scotland and Northern England, 200 golf clubs and 200 bars and 81 Highland Brewing outlets.

The campaign is designed to stimulate new visits this Summer and put a particular emphasis on the region's great value golf passport and golf brochure.

Nicholas Brown, director of Woll Golf Course, New Woll Estate by Ashkirk said: "New high profile promotion like this will be greatly received by all the courses and other businesses that benefit from the Freedom visitors. The Freedom of the Fairways is an essential part of the golf business in the Scottish Borders, there are so many great courses in the borders and it still provides an unbeatable way for visitors to play a lot of the courses at great value.

"We hope VisitScotland's extra marketing initiative will boost much needed visitor numbers in the future as it continues to be a difficult time for golf courses across the Borders and we need to ensure a popular scheme like this stays number one and the golf business is attracted to the Borders."

The campaign also includes extensive online media activity within the likes of Bunkered, Scottish Golf Courses, Scottish Golf Union and Golf Today and there are a series of online adverts appearing beside golf related searches on eBay and search engines. Media activity alone will reach 650,000 consumers.

The golf joint marketing activity is the latest activity in VisitScotland's Perfect Day campaign that targets the domestic market that helps position the Scottish Borders as a 'must visit, must return' destination.

Sandi Hellowell, regional director for VisitScotland, said: "The campaign represents a great platform to raise awareness of the Scottish Borders as a fantastic golf break destination, increase Freedom of the Fairways Golf Passport sales and ultimately attract new and repeat visitors to the area

"The Freedom of the Fairways Golf Passport brought in over £825,000 to the local economy last year and sales for this year look promising. We hope to capitalise on the staycation trend by increasing the profile of our great value golf passport."

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